Agenda item

“Council is dismayed to learn of the adverse Care Quality Commission report on a private care home in Oxfordshire where this authority places clients. Care plan processes, dietary needs, medicines management, activities for residents, staff training, and quality monitoring fell short of the required standards.

Council also notes with concern:

(a)       the recent LINKs report on Oxfordshire care homes (JOHSC, 19 May item 8c) where some of the same deficiencies are mentioned, and which concludes that ‘it is vital to consider whether value for money is given in all cases and whether the care received by residents is always as good as it can be’; and

(b)       that new responsibilities for inspection and monitoring are likely to be placed upon the Council under the Localism Bill.

Council therefore requests that:

(i)         Cabinet review the fees structure for care homes to ensure that the Council is both paying a reasonable going rate and receiving good value for money;

(ii)        The Director for Social & Community Services keeps members informed about the outcome of inspection reports on all care homes;

(iii)       Clients are not placed in care homes that cannot demonstrate good internal care monitoring processes, together with a reliable complaints system for use by relatives as well as by residents; and

(iv)       a post-Council briefing is arranged on current inspection regimes, and the anticipated new responsibilities of local authorities and the role of Healthwatch in this respect.”

Councillor Godden moved and Councillor Hannaby seconded the following motion as amended by Councillor Fatemian in bold italic:

“Council is dismayed to learn of the adverse Care Quality Commission report on a private care home in Oxfordshire where this authority places clients. Care plan processes, dietary needs, medicines management, activities for residents, staff training, and quality monitoring fell short of the required standards.

Council also notes with concern:

(a)       the recent LINKs report on Oxfordshire care homes (JOHSC, 19 May item 8c) where some of the same deficiencies are mentioned, and which concludes that ‘it is vital to consider whether value for money is given in all cases and whether the care received by residents is always as good as it can be’; and

(b)       that new responsibilities for inspection and monitoring are likely to be placed upon the Council under the Localism Bill.

Council therefore requests that:

(i)         Cabinet review the fees structure for care homes to ensure that the Council is both paying a reasonable going rate and receiving good value for money;

(ii)        The Director for Social & Community Services keeps members informed about the outcome of inspection reports on all care homes;

(iii)       Clients are not placed in care homes that cannot demonstrate good internal care monitoring processes, together with a reliable complaints system for use by relatives as well as by residents; and

(iv)       a post-Council briefing is arranged on current inspection regimes, and the anticipated new responsibilities of local authorities and the role of Healthwatch in this respect;

(v)       that in the first instance, a report be taken to Adult Services Scrutiny Committee to consider the points raised above and to then present this report, with the comments and recommendations from scrutiny, to Cabinet for their consideration.”

Following debate, the motion as amended was carried nem con.

RESOLVED:

“Council is dismayed to learn of the adverse Care Quality Commission report on a private care home in Oxfordshire where this authority places clients. Care plan processes, dietary needs, medicines management, activities for residents, staff training, and quality monitoring fell short of the required standards.

Council also notes with concern:

(a)       the recent LINKs report on Oxfordshire care homes (JOHSC, 19 May item 8c) where some of the same deficiencies are mentioned, and which concludes that ‘it is vital to consider whether value for money is given in all cases and whether the care received by residents is always as good as it can be’; and

(b)       that new responsibilities for inspection and monitoring are likely to be placed upon the Council under the Localism Bill.

Council therefore requests that:

(i)         Cabinet review the fees structure for care homes to ensure that the Council is both paying a reasonable going rate and receiving good value for money;

(ii)        The Director for Social & Community Services keeps members informed about the outcome of inspection reports on all care homes;

(iii)       Clients are not placed in care homes that cannot demonstrate good internal care monitoring processes, together with a reliable complaints system for use by relatives as well as by residents; and

(iv)       a post-Council briefing is arranged on current inspection regimes, and the anticipated new responsibilities of local authorities and the role of Healthwatch in this respect;

(v)        that in the first instance, a report be taken to Adult Services Scrutiny Committee to consider the points raised above and to then present this report, with the comments and recommendations from scrutiny, to Cabinet for their consideration.”